Combined signal and emergency train-stopping device



1. HUBBARD. COMBINED SIGNAL AND EMERGENCY TRAIN STOPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILEI) NOV. 25, 1919.

' Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

I I l I I I I I I I I l I l l l I I I L ATTORNEYS .I. W. HUBBARD.

COMBINED SIGNAL AND EMERGENCY TRAIN STOPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, I919. 1,361,862.

Patented Dec. 14,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

JAMES W. HUBBARD, 0F EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN.

COMBINED SIGNAL AND EMERGENCY TRAIN-STOPPING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES WVARREN HUB- BARD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Eau Claire, county of Eau Claire, State ofWisconsin, have invented a new and useful Combined Signal and EmergencyTrain-Stopping Device, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

The present invention relates to a combined signal and emergency trainstopping device and has reference more particularly to an associationand cooperation of parts whereby a signal may be set up ona railroadraclr'a short. distance behind, or in the case of. a single tracksystem, also in front of the train which is standing still, to warn theengineer of a train approaching on the same track against proceedingfarther; also in lieu of the signal being disregarded, by the engineer,to provide means as an emergency to prevent a collision by derailing theapproaching trainbefore it reaches the train that is at a standstill,and which the device is intended to protect;

Various conditions and features are to be considered in realizing theadvantages of the present invention, therefore it would seem to be inorder to relate briefly the prevailing conditions which have proveninade quate as a practical solution of the prob lems involved. First ofall when a train of cars has'been brought to a standstill at a stationor any other location along the line, and particularly where the trainis to be maintained at astandstill for an unusual length of time, andespecially where the train schedules require trains to be run more orless close together, it is customary fiagman taking a red lantern withhimat night as a signal medium, and a red flag in the day time. Thispresent method is intended to signal the engineer of an approachingtrain in time enough for him to prevent a collision, and While it hasproven more or Specification of Letters Patent. P t t 14, 1 20,Application filed November 25,1919. Serial No. 340,466. 7

less practical it is open to much criticism for apparent reasons, forinstance,'the safety of the train which is at a standstill is entirelyin the hands of the flagman, and should he not perform his dutyreligiously a collision is likely to occur. Then again, although he maycarry out-his orders properly the engineer of the approaching train 6may be'at fault in failing to observe the fla mans signal or otherwisefail to bring hlS train to a stop in time to preventa collision. 1

According -to the present invention the disadvantages arising from theheretofore practised method are overcome in that aside from providing amost eflicient signal. the invention is so constructed as to derail theapproaching train should for any reason the'engineer fail to observe thesignal and act accordingly;

The invention is applicable to railway systems in general, both electricand steam, and may be used in front or in the rear of a train which isat a standstill to prevent a collision. from the front or rear. 1

With these and minor features in view which will be referred to in thefollowing description, the invention will befmore readily understoodupon reference to the accoinpanying drawings wherein an illustrativeembodiment, of the invention is shown, and in which- Figure 1 representsa plan view of the arrangement and showing its relative relation to acar with which it is intended to be used. 1

Fig. 2'is a sectional view; on the line 22 of Fig. 1. v

' Fig. 3 is a cross sectional viewvon the line 3-3 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a view of the wiring diagram. Fig. 5 is a sectional view onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1.. Fig. 6' is a view on the line 6-6 of Fig.5.Fig. 7 is a plan. view'of the derailing device showing one form ofsignal embodied therein. A

' Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view through the derailing device with thesignal shown as in F ig. 7 embodied therein, and Fig. 9 is a 'sectionalview on the "line 99 of 7. I I

Referring to the drawings-by numerals of reference, in putting theinvention into practice and so-far as concerns the preferred embodimentthereof it should be. considered that on each railroad car at both thefront and rear, although this need not be controlling in every case, iscarried the equipment for realizing the advantages of the idea.

This equipment is preferably housed in a box like casing 1 which ismounted at any convenient place on the front or rear of the car such forinstance as beneath the platform thereof. Mounted in the housing 1transversely to a medial line through the car is a threaded shaft 2which is journaled in r the bearings 3 and 4 on opposite ends of thehousing 1 so as to provide a horizontal shaft. Mounted on and fixed tothe threaded shaft 2 preferably adjacent the journal hearing 4 is a reel5 which is adapted to be rotated together with the shaft 2 by aspringmotor 6, the spring of the motor being so positioned as to rotatewhen'released, the reel 5 and the shaft 2 in an anti-clockwise directionso that the cable 7 or other flexible member secured thereto may bewound thereon after being unwound therefrom and carried 'rearwardly ofthe train along the track, the purpose of which will bepresentlydescribed.

Fastened to the free endof the cable 7 is 7' the combined signal andderailing dcvice 8 which embodies substantially an oblong block of metalhaving a recess 9ein its bottom side made to receive the rail 10 and towhich it may be clamped by the screw device 11 carried by the handle 12to one corner of which is fastened the cable 7. This handle embodies ahand opening 13 and is constructed so that its weighted corner 14: willoperate to move the handle in a clockwise direction when the tension ofthe cable 7 is relieved so that it will automatically manipu late thescrew device 11 and clamp the derailing device to the rail.

tened to a diagonally opposite corner ofthe handle from the weightedcorner 14 the hall; dlc will be maintained in a position substantiallyas shown. When an abnormalpull or :with a. deflecting flange which willdeflect the wheels of the approaching train and accomplish the derailingobject. The signal which is embodied in the derailing device may berealized in various ways, for instance.

So long as the cable 7 is maintained taut under even a slight tensionand by reasonof the cable being fas-,

in the day time the derailing device may be provided with a socket 15made to receive and vertically support the pole of a signal flag or thelike; At night when a flag could not be used a light signal may be usedinstead of the flag. This light signal may be realized in various waysof which the. illus-v trative embodiment showstwo forms (see forinstance Figs. 1, 2 and In this particular form one end of thederailingdevice is made to support a light source such as an electricbulbwhich may be observed through openings 16, 17 and 18 in the top andtwo sides respectively of the device. Furthermore if desirable anopening may be pro vided in the back of the device inakingfour openingsin all. These openings may be observed by looking down on the devicefrom a location between the 'derailing device and the car with which itis to be used, or from a location to the side of the device, and fromthe direction of an approachingv train. The

latter observation would be a signal to the engineer of the approachingtrain... All of the openings, or at least the opening 17 which is to beobserved by the engineer of the approaching train should be covered by ared lens to represent a danger signal. a a

A circuit to the light source, or rather the bulb is supplied throughthe insulated conductor 19 which iswrapped around the cable 7 7 and isof substantially the same length as the cable and is of course receivedon the reel 5 with the cable. The end of thejconduetor on the reel isconnected to a contactplate 20 which is arranged on one side of the reelface the connection being made by the post 21 (see Fig. The contactplate 20 willrevolve with the reel, and to effect a connection with asuitable source of electricity, a resilient contact finger 22 which iscarried by the mounting piece 23 is'presented with a wiping contact withthe plate so as to Imaintain a normally closed circuit between the leadwire 24 and the plate 20. As stated the contact made by the plate 20 andthe finger 22 V with the lead wire 24 is normally closed. In order thatthe circuit with the light source on the 'derailing device may be madeand broken, at the proper time the circuit is not completeuntil theresilient finger 25 contacts with the'finger 26 which is supported onthe post 27. Arranged parallel with the shaft 2 is a rod 28 which isfixed-in thesupport 29 at one end and in the bearing, 30at the otherend. Mounted. on this rod isea sleeve 31 which is connected by a web 32to a sleeve. 33 which is provided with a threaded bore whereby, rotationof the shaft 2 will induce the sleeve 33 to travel on the shaft 2. Forinstance, when the .derailing device 8 which is normally carried in thehousing 1 is lifted out by the fiagman; preparatory to putting thedevice into use the reel 5 and the shaft 2 on which it is fixed isrotated in a clockwise tioning position beyond the train. The cir-' cuitfrom the conductor which is wrapped around the cable to the contactfinger is made by connecting the wire through means of the member 34 tothe shaft 2 andinasmuch as the opposite end of the conta finger 25normally bears on the shaft 2 regardlessof the position of the sleeve-33on the shaft 2, acontact is always made between the corn ductor 19, thecontact between the finger 22 and the plate 20, and with the contactlinger 25. p

It may so happen that the fiagman may neglect to remove the derailingdevice 8 from the track when the'train is ready to proceed in whichevent when the train-starts up the effect of an abnormal pull or tensionis imparted to the cable 7 whereupon the handle 2 will be moved in ananti-clockwise direction which will release the screw device 11 andpermit the derailing device to be 'released from therail 10. In themeantime of course, the sleeve 33 will be adjacent to post 27., with thecontacts 25 and 26 closed, this of course being the operative positionof the p arts. The derailing device in being dragged along the trackwill ofiersuflicient resistance to overcome the spring motor 6, and theresistance will also be sufficient to rotate the reel 5 and the shaft2'and cause the sleeve 33 to travel farther on the shaft 2 ina directiontoward the journal bearing In so doing the sleeve will bear againstthe-lever 34 which is presented in the path of the travel of the sleeveand being pivotedas at 35 to a second lever 36, the air valve 37 may bemanipulated through the toggle joint 38 whereupon the brakes may beautomatically applied with a warning to the engineer that the derailingdevice had not been removed and placed back in thebox,whereupon theengineer may stop the train sothat the flagman may get out and recoverthe; derailingdevice before serious in ury to the same hasbeen done.

Of course should the preaching train disregard the signal on thederailing device and proceed ahead'the derailing device will. derailthe'train and at the same time it will more than likely be completelydemolished, and necessitate a new one" being substituted in lieuthereof. It should he considered that the derailing device is only.asmall' part, of the apparatus carried by a ring 20 engineer of" theapand a new one may be substitutediwithout the same will be slightcompared to thatwhich would be necessary in repairing the trainequipment and the injury to the passengers should acollision occur.

In connection with the closing of the circuit between the lead wire 24;and the plate 20 attention is-invited to a modification of this detailwhich is shown in Fig. 6 wherein thecircuit is closed to the plate 20 bymeans of a radially presented strip 20 and which This'radial strip 20extends to a point'where a contact may be made as at the'post 21. Y

In so far as concerns the operation and advantages of the apparatus theabove de scription applies to all forms, however, as to the signalingfeatures, attention is called to Figs. 7, 8, and 9 wherein is shown aform which may beused in lieu of that shown in the other figures. For,instance, instead of using the electric system of the train on which theapparatus is used, the derailing device 8 may be equipped to accommodatea storage battery 39 with'a'light source 40 connected thereto bytheleads 41, the light source being focused in a parabolic reflector 42witha light projecting lens 43 provided' on the side of the derailingdevice inposition where it may be observed by the engineer of anapproaching train. The lens of the light projecting opening may besupported in a cover 44 which is hinged as at 4.6. This lens should ofcourse be red glass to indicate danger. This construction of thesignaling features is used inconnection with the derailing device havinga handle 12 as in the other form, the handle in this instance beingequipped with a contact finger 46 whichisfmade to contact with a similarcontact plate '4? on the side of the derailing device whereupon when thederailing device is placed on the rail 10'and the tension of the cable 7brings the handle 12 into position as best shown in Fig. 9 the circuitbetween'the light source and the storage battery-will be closed by thecontacts 46 and -47."'Just as soon as the tension of the cable isrelieve the circuit will be broken The demolishing of'the derailing'device and'the expense lncident to replaclng 3. A derailing device forrailway rolling 1 stock having a recess therein, and a. light signal insaid recess.

4. In a device of the character described, a derailingdevlce'embodyingin its con- 7 struction an electric light signal, means con-' derailingdevice is associated, a flexible member wound upon said reel andconnecting the derailing device with the car, a circult connecting thelight signal with the electric system of the car, and a circuit closeractuated by the unwinding of the flexible member on the reel for closingthe circuit to the light signal.

7. In combination, a derailing device adaptedto be normally supported ona rail way car but adapted to be positioned on the track a distanceremote therefrom, a flexible member connecting the derailing device withthe railway car, a reel on which the flexible member is wound, a lightsignal on the derailing device, and means associated with the reel andcontrolled by the unwinding of the flexible member therefrom forcontrolling said signal. 7 r

8.111 combination, a derailing device adapted to be normally supportedon a railway car'but adapted to be positioned on the.

track a distance remote therefrom a flexible member. connecting thederailing device with the railway car, a reel on which the I flexiblemember is wound, and a self contained electric light signal on thederailing device. a v I 9. .The combination asset forth in claim 7and'in which the derailing device embodies a pivoted clamping memberactuated by the'tension of the flexible member con-' nected thereto torelease the clamping effect of the said member.

p 10. In combination, a derailing "device adapted to be normally carriedin a housing onla railway car, and mounted with'freedom of rotation insaid housing, a flexible member'wound around said reel andconnected tosaid derailing device, a shaft on which the said reel ismounted andfixed thereto, an electric light signal embodied in saidderailing'device, a circuit between said electric light signal and theelectric system of the railway car, means actuated by the rotation ofthe reel in a direction to unwind the flexible member therefrom, to

of the railway car and the electric light signal on the derailingdevice, said circuitclosing means operable v to break the circuit thusclosed when the reel is rotated in a direction to wind the flexiblemember thereof, and means associated with the circuit closing means andthe air brake system of the railway car to apply the brakes of the carwhen an abnormal length of the flexible member has been unwound fromsaid reel.

11. The combination asset forth in claim- 10 and in which the derailingdevice is providedwith a pivoted handle having a screw device, saidscrew device adapted to be manipulated when the derailing device hasbeen placed on the track with the handle released to clamp the derailingdevice to a of said screwdevice for releasing the derailing device fromclamping relation with the said'rail. e V 1 '13. In a deviceof thecharacter described, a derailing device, means for locking the derailingdevice to a rail, a reel, a flexible member adapted to wind on the reeland operatively connected with the locking means, anda springmotorassociated with the reel, said motor adapted to function to wind the,flexible member on the reel when the derailingdevice has beenreleasedfrom the rail, and adaptedzto impose a tension on I the flexible memberwhen the flexible member has been unwound from the reel with thederailing device clamped on the rail. 7

'14; A derailing'device embodying in its construction, a self containedelectric light signal comprising an, electric battery, and electric liht source, with means for closing the circuit from the battery to thelight source. 7 7 y 7 15. A derailing device embodying in itsconstructioml'a self contained electric llght signal comprising anelectric battery and the circuit between theelectric battery and theelectric light. 7

16. The combination as set forth in claim 7, and in which the derailingdevice embodies means actuated 'by the tension of the flexible memberconnected thereto, to release 7 the clamping effect of-said means. closethe circuit between the electric sytem I derailing device, a flexiblemember conderailing device, a flexible member connected to the derailingdevice and the car, nected to the derailing device and the car, 10 meansfor clamping said derailing device on means cooperating with theconnection of a rail of the track, and means adapted to said flexiblemember through the car for apply the air brakes of the car should thesignaling the engineer of the car should the car move forward When thederailing device car start forward with the derailing device is clampedto the rail. clamped to the rail.

18. In combination with a railroad car, a J. W. HUBBARD.

